Picture mat cutter



Aug. 26, 1969 M, SHAPIRO ET AL PICTURE MAT CUTTER Filed March 18, 1966 INVENTORS MORDECAI SHAPIRO JEROME PERLMUTTER United States Patent 3,463,041 PICTURE MAT CUTTER Mordecai Shapiro, 119 Byron Road, and Jerome Perlmutter, 4 Whaleneck Drive, both of Merrick, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 536,951 1 Int. Cl. B2611 /08 U.S. Cl. 83-564 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Our invention relates to a mat cutter problem which is experienced by all picture framers, photographers, artists, art students, art schools, museums, architects, and industrial designers, whereby an internal square or rectangle has to be cut from a solid blank sheet of art mat board.

Without going into the tedious and inaccurate results which many of the existing devices produce, our device consists of a simple and accurate mechanism that produces a straight, accurate, bevelled edge on all four sides of the internal square or rectangular cutout.

Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a mat cutting machine whereby the blade is affixed to a longitudinal slideable carriage which is mounted on two parallel shafts for support, one shaft being stationary and the other mounted in such a manner as to float to accommodate any misguiding or inaccuracy, whereby the carriage does not have any contact with the mat other than the cutting edge of the blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine whereby the width of the borders of the mats can be set by the simple method of setting the gauges, and the border will retain the true size of the pre-set perimeter of the border.

Other objects, advantages and features of our invention are stated in the annexed description and drawing which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof:

FIGURE I is an angular view which shows the usual embodiment of the cutting tool in relation to the base.

FIGURE II is a top view showing the relationship of the cutting tool to the gauges.

FIGURE III is an isometric view of the cutting device mounted on the slideable carriage.

Slideable carriage 1 slides longitudinally on fixed shaft 2 and floating shaft 3.

Shaft 2 is supported by fixed bearings 4 and 5, which are rigidly mounted on wooden base 17, thus making carriage 1 follow a true fixed course on shaft 2. The bearings 4- and 5 have end bearing tracks or extensions 4a and 5a, respectively. Shaft 3 rides on the two end bearing tracks 4a and 5a and supports carriage '1, but floats simultaneously in a compatible manner in relation to shaft 2 yielding to the latter shaft in the guidance of carriage 1,

3,463,041 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 thus giving full support to carriage 1 and guaranteeing the accuracy and longitudinal smoothness of the cutting operation.

Shoulder screw 6 supports lever 7, which operates knife 8 on pivot 9. Channeled knife guard 10 guides knife 8 in an up and down position. Flat spring 11 applies pressure to lever 7, maintaining knife in an up or down position at will. 12 is a longitudinal shallow groove below the surface of wooden base 17 to accommodate the angle of the cutting edge of the knife. 13 is a fixed right-angled guide. 14 is an adjustable guide. Stop collar 15 and 16 can be set for continuous duplication of the same sized mats for quantity production.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

We claim:

1. A mat cutting machine having a base, a pair of bearings fixed on said base, a first shaft fixed in said bearings, a carriage mounted for slidable movement on said first shaft, a groove in said base parallel to said first shaft, and a knife carried by said carriage and extending in said groove, characterized by:

(a) a second shaft;

(b) extensions on said bearings being substantially parallel to each other and to the base of the mat cutter for supporting said second shaft while permitting the ends of said second shaft to ride thereon; and

(c) a hole in said carriage to receive said second shaft whereby the carriage is freely supported on said two shafts above the mat and, except for the knife, independently of contact with the mat.

2. A mat cutting machine as defined in claim '1 in which the knife is adjustably supported on the carriage by:

(a) a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage;

(b) means for connecting said knife to said lever;

(c) a knife guard fixed to said carriage and having a channel therein for receiving and guiding said knife for up and down movement relative to said base upon pivotal movement of said lever; and

(d) a spring detent carried by said carriage for maintaining the knife in an adjusted position thereof.

3. A mat cutting machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said extensions are end bearing tracks supporting said second shaft at its ends and permitting said ends to ride thereupon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,238 9/1898 Drinkaus 83-581 X 2,753,938 7/1956 Thiess 836l4 3,130,622 4/1964 Eno 83564 X 3,108,349 10/1963 Takacs 836l4 X JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 83581, 614 

